Abstract
The current study evaluated the generalizability of a parent-child rearing inventory designed for normal children and parents to a group of parents of disabled children. A total of 101 mothers of multihandicapped children completed a questionnaire (Parent Report of Child Behavior) reporting their child's behavior toward them in five areas: Positive Relationship, Detachment, Obedience, Independence, and Control Problems. Factor analysis of these mothers' responses revealed a qualitatively different set of underlying factors as contrasted to the original normative group. For mothers in this study, a positive relationship with their disabled child was contingent upon a combination of compliant behaviors (obeying rules, doing things independently, actively trying to please), all of which are likely associated with general child competence. The disabled child's age, intellectual level, degree of physical impairment, and number of nonhandicapped sibs influenced maternal report of child behavior.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armentrout, J. A. (1970). Relationships among preadolescents' reports of their parents' child-rearing behaviors.Psychological Reports, 27, 695–700.
Burger, G. K., & Armetrout, J. A. (1970). A factor analysis of fifth and sixth graders' reports of parental child-rearing behavior.Developmental Psychology, 4(3), 483
Cook, J. J. (1963). Dimensional analysis of child-rearing attitudes of parents of handicapped children.American Journal Of Mental Deficiency, 68(3), 354–361.
Cummings, S., Bayley, H., & Rie, H. (1966). Effects of the child's deficiency on the mother; A study of mothers of mentally retarded, chronically ill, and neurotic children.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 56, 595–608.
Droppleman, L. F., & Schaefer, E. S. (1963). Boys' and girls' reports of maternal and paternal behavior.Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67(6), 648–654.
Duvall, E. M. (1946). Conceptions of parenthood.American Journal of Sociology, 57, 193–203.
Easson, M. W. (1966). Psychopathological environmental reaction to congenital defect.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 142(5), 453–459.
Hall, W. T. (1963). Physical handicap and family stress.Cerebral Palsy Review, 24(4), 8–11.
Hess, R. D. (1970). Social class and ethnic influences on socialization. In P. H. Mussen (Ed.),Carmichael's manual of child psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 457–557). New York: Wiley.
Holroyd, J., & Guthrie, D. (1979). Stress in families of children with neuromuscular disease.Journal of Clinical Psychology, 35(4), 734–739.
Holroyd, J., & McArthur, D. (1976). Mental retardation and stress on the parents: A contrast between Downs' syndrome and childhood autism.American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 80, 431–436.
Klebanoff, L. B. (1959). Parents of schizophrenic children. I. Parental attitudes of mothers of schizophrenic, brain-injured and retarded, and normal children.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 29, 445–454.
Nie, N. H., Hull, C. H., Jenkins, J. G., Steinbrenner, K., & Bent, D. H. (1975).Statistical packages for the social sciences (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Renson, G. J., Schaefer, E. S., & Levy, B. I. (1968). Cross-national validity of a spherical conceptual model for parent behavior.Child Development, 39, 1129–1135.
Ross, O. A. (1964).The exceptional children in the family. New York: Grune and Stratton.
Schaefer, E. S. (1959). A circumplex model for maternal behavior.Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 59, 226–235.
Schaefer, E. S. (1965). Children's report of parental behavior: An inventory.Child Development, 36, 413–424.
Schaefer, E. S., & Bell, R. Q. (1958). Development of a parental attitude research instrument.Child Development, 29, 339–361.
Schaefer, E. S., & Finklestein, N. W. (1975, August).Child behavior toward the parent: An inventory and factor analysis. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Chicago.
Shere, E., & Kastenbaum, R. (1966). Mother-child interactions in cerebral palsy: Environmental and psychosocial obstacles to cognitive development.Genetic Psychological Monographs, 73(2), 255–335.
Stehbens, A. J., & Carr, D. L. (1970). Perceptions of parental attitudes by students varying in intellectual ability and educational efficiency.Psychology in the Schools, 1, 67–73.
Travis, G. (1976). Chronic illness in children: Its impact on child and family. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Wacker, D. P., Harper, D. C. Powell, W. J., & Healy, A. (in press). Life outcomes and satisfaction ratings of multihandicapped adults.Developmental Medical and Child Neurology.
Yarrow, R. M., Campbell, D. J., & Burton, V. R. (1968).Child rearing: An inquiry into research and methods. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Thanks are extended to C. Krieter, D. Wacker, and L. Cobb for their comments and statistical assistance in preparation of the manuscript.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harper, D.C. Child behavior toward the parent: A factor analysis of mothers' reports of disabled children. J Autism Dev Disord 14, 165–182 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02409659
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02409659